Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The complainant submitted a request to the FCO seeking a copy of the ‘Wine Cellar Stock Report’. The FCO initially cited sections 21 (reasonably accessible) and 22 (information intended for future publication). At the internal review stage the FCO disclosed the ‘Wine Cellar Stock Report’ but redacted small parts of it on the basis of section 43(2) (commercial interests) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the redacted information is exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 43(2) of FOIA and that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest favours maintaining the exemption.